It is known that silica gel may be provided to absorb moisture for dehydration or dehumidifying purpose. However, reviewing conventional moisture extractor such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,487 to General Motors Corporation, the silica gel after being saturated with moisture will be removed and replaced with new desiccant, thereby wasting the desiccant material and causing environmental protection problem.
If for regenerating the conventional dehydrator by heating the saturated silica gel, a heater and a forced-draft air fan should be provided to direct hot air through the moisture-impregnated silica gel in order to vaporize and remove the water as absorbed in the gel, thereby increasing installation cost and total volume of the dehydrator.
The present inventor has found the drawbacks of conventional dehydrator and invented the present regenerative dehumidifier.
The object of the present invention is to provide a regenerative dehumidifier including: a housing having perforations formed through the housing for directing moisture-laden (or moisture-free) air therein (or therefrom), a moisture-absorbable dehydrating agent including silica gel filled in the housing for absorbing moisture as laden in the air entering the housing for dehumidification or dehydration, a heating device sandwiched in a first layer and a second layer of the dehydrating agent disposed on opposite sides of the heating device for heating the moisture-saturated dehydrating agent for vaporizing water from the dehydrating agent in order for regenerating the water-absorbed dehydrating agent for its re-use; and a saturation indicator having the same dehydrating agent but further added with a color-change indicator therein to be provided on a cover of the housing and fluidically communicated with the dehydrating agent in the housing; whereby upon saturation of the dehydrating agent, the saturation indicator will show a color change of the dehydrating agent to remind the user of actuation of the heating device for regenerating the moisture-saturated dehydrating agent ready for next use.